


The Great Wave Off Kanagawa

by DL_Remark



Category: Original Work
Genre: One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-26 15:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18182144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DL_Remark/pseuds/DL_Remark
Summary: Haruko is on her way home when she suddenly encounters a siamese cat. The Cat tells her that that they have to hurry and Haruko finds herself in a world of monsters and spirits.





	The Great Wave Off Kanagawa

         She sat down, planting her feet steadily on the ground so that she wouldn’t move as the bus turned. Placing her backpack beside her, she fixed the earphone slipping out of her ear. There wasn’t any music playing yet but she liked having both of her earphones in anyway. She turned on her phone and looked for something to listen to. A lot of the music was soundtracks from movies and her thumb hovered over a particular soundtrack. She had been listening to it a lot lately, especially on the bus. It was from an American movie but the composer was Japanese. 

         The quiet, calm sound of piano began and she closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. It was soft but fast; strings slowly drifted into the song, accompanying the piano. With the strings, came that feeling again. The one she always felt when she listened to this particular song, on this particular bus, at this particular time. It made the world feel blue and green -- like a forest when the sun is about to set. The moment felt like peace, and for the first time that day Haruko felt okay. Her shoulder still hurt, but as she sat there she slowly released the tightness of her chest. It felt like she had been holding her breath for hours. 

        The bus ride was about fifteen minutes and she played the song another time before her stop was approaching. Pausing the song (which was about to start a third time), she pulled the line and the bus slowed. She grabbed her backpack, swinging it onto her shoulder and smiled at the bus driver as she stepped off. She started to walk from the busier street towards her neighborhood. 

        Rounding the corner, she was surprised to see a siamese cat directly across from her, sitting on the cement walls which bordered all the house in her neighborhood. It stood in a picturesque and tense pose, except for its tail which swayed left and right. She found herself approaching The Cat and gently offered her hand for The Cat to smell. The Cat moved forward, sniffing her hand tentatively before returning to its strict pose. She smiled at The Cat then turned and began walking towards her house. 

        Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind her, “You’re just going to leave?” 

        The voice was nasally and critical and Haruko startled at the sound of it. She turned to look behind her, only to find The Cat staring back at her. His tail still swayed from side to side but his body remaining perfectly still, he spoke again, “You know, that’s awfully rude.”

        She paused then walked back towards The Cat, “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you wanted to talk to me.”

        “Hmph”, The Cat seemed appeased by her apology but made no move to go closer to her. He spoke again, “Are you ready to go?”

        She stared at him in confusion as he jumped down from the wall. He started moving away from her as she asked, “Go where?”

        “Where do you want to go?”

        Haruka looked back in the direction of her house and felt her shoulder ache. She looked back at The Cat and admitted shamefully, “Home.”

        The Cat scoffed, an odd sound between a hiss and a loud release of air, “If you want me to help you then you’re going to have to come with me.” 

        She blinked at him in confusion, “How could you help me…? Why would you help me?”

        The Cat turned back to face her and returned to his tense pose. She stared into its eyes as its tail swished behind it. 

        “We don’t have much time. If you want my help, then we need to leave now.” 

        The Cat turned again and began walking away. She froze for a moment unsure of what to do, but as The Cat moved farther and farther away, something in her pushed her to follow. She jogged after the cat, who was now making his way briskly through the neighborhood. They turned multiple times and walked for several blocks. As they entered Motomachi Park Haruko wondered why The Cat had brought her there. In the middle of the park, there was a public pool. The pool was closed, it’s front entrance doors locked shut. They paused before the closed doors and Haruko looked at The Cat curiously wondering what he planned to do. 

        He spoke, “Follow me.”

        Although he was already moving to the door, Haruko tried to explain that the pool was closed right now. However, when The Cat approached the doors, he walked through them with ease. 

        He told her casually, “Come on. The doors will open for you too.”

        Haruko decided not to mention that in fact the doors had not opened, and that that was why she was shocked. Instead, she moved forward and with a gasp, put her foot through the door. She couldn’t see it once it had passed through and she hurried to follow her foot. The Cat was waiting for her at the edge of the pool.  She caught up and stood beside him. The pool wasn’t particularly large; normally there was a small section for swimming laps and the rest was for recreation. It was dirty as it had been too cold for swimming outside lately. The Cat stared at the water, which was still and lifeless, until ripples began to emerge from the middle of the pool. A glowing light appeared in the center of the pool and the ripples it created seemed to spread through the dark water with its glow. The Cat turned to her, his eyes looking carefully behind her as he spoke, 

        “Stay close behind me. Be careful.”

        She nodded and the Cat stepped forward into the pool. He seemed to slowly sink into it with each step and he continued to walk until she could no longer see him. She cautiously put one foot into the water. It was chilly and she shuddered from the cold. Carefully, she continued to move forward, taking one step and then another.  It was as if she was standing on sand and she found herself further submerged. She took a final step, and with that step, she left our world and entered the next one. 

        Haruko opened her eyes, taking in a deep breath. Around her, she saw the same pool she had just left. Confused, she looked down and saw the pool beneath her. Haruko gasped as she realized she was standing atop the water. The Cat stood on the edge of the pool waiting for her, “Come along now. We’re running out of time.” 

        Cautiously, Haruko took a one step forward and the water rippled as she set her foot down. She felt the familiar ache in her shoulder and she gripped it with her hand as she crossed the pool. She looked up at the sky; it seemed a little darker than it had when she’d left. 

        “I don’t understand. We’re in the same place we were before,” she asked The Cat. She followed The Cat as he walked back through the doors of the pool. This time she didn’t hesitate to step through them and she moved to walk beside The Cat. 

        “Of course we’re not. Things aren’t the same just because they seem to be. And of course, the same is true of the opposite. ”

        Haruko frowned in confusion, “Then where are we? And why did we have to go the pool?”

        They walked out of the park and back into the neighborhood. The Cat explained, “We’re in the other world now. We had to use the pool to get to this world because I’m not powerful enough to bring you here on my own.”

        The Cat was moving quickly through the streets and Haruko had to hurry to keep up with him. Still, she wanted to understand, so she spoke despite being out of breath, “The pool was a portal to this world?”

        “Not the pool especially. It was just the closest body of water,’ The Cat paused in his explanation and looked at her searchingly before deciding to continue, ‘Everything in our world is bridged by water.”

        Haruko pondered this for a second.  _ Everything is bridged by water…  _ It reminded her of  the print, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Hokusai. She liked a lot of Hokusai’s work and when she had been first taught about the more complicated ideas of Buddhism, her parents had used The Great Wave Off Kanagawa to explain, “We see ourselves as separate droplets when in reality we are all part of one wave.” Even before their explanation, the print had always left a deep impression on her -- especially when she visited the ocean as a child. She thought of Hokusai looking out at the same sea years before. The print felt powerful, yet peaceful, and always made her heart stir.   _ Maybe Hokusai knew that everything is bridged by water.  _

         The Cat looked at her plainly, “Yes, of course he did. He understood that everything is the same. Our separation is just as real as the truth that separation is an illusion.”

_          How did he know what I was thinking?  _

         The Cat spoke again, “If we find the Healer in time she can help you kill it.  If we’re too late, you will l have to do it on your own.”

         “What do you mean? Kill what?”

         Haruko had no time to think about what The Cat said as she noticed the clouds had collected even more and seemed to be bringing a storm. As she looked up with realization, The Cat tensed, also alerted by the oncoming storm. As they walked, the shadows seemed to be stretching behind them. Slowly they covered more ground and, unnerved, Haruko tried to stay close to The Cat. Her shoulder pain sharpened and as she turned to look behind them she felt a breath against her ear. 

         Haruko screamed and jumped away. The Cat looked sharply at her and Haruko tried to catch her breath as she stared at the empty space where she was sure she had seen something. 

         The Cat was staring behind them until suddenly he hissed angrily, “It’s too late. They’re here. Run!” 

         The Cat began to run, turning the corner quickly. Haruko ran after him. As she turned the corner, she looked back and her eyes widened with fear.  Out of the shadows, strange creatures were growing. They looked like shadows come alive and darkness melted off of them. They stood like animals, backs hunched as if they were ready to crawl. Two red circles glowed like eyes and mouths were open with hunger. 

         Haruko ran after The Cat, heart pounding. Behind her, shadow creatures stretched towards her and hands emerged to grab her. Haruko tried to avoid them, but they grew from each side of the street.  A hand managed to wrap around her ankle and Haruko screamed and fell hard onto the street. The Cat stopped in his dash to get away and ran back for her. The shadow hand poured around her ankle, thick black sludge dripping across her leg. Haruko tried to crawl away but more hands started to emerge from the shadows around her. 

         From the hand, a creature grew taller, glowing red eyes glaring down at her. It’s mouth opened and it loomed over her with hunger. Haruko cried out but was cut off by a tremendous roar. A large dog crashed into the creature, its teeth latching onto its head. Haruko crawled away and The Cat reached her, hissing at the other emerging hands. Before them, devouring the shadows, was an enormous lion-dog. Haruko stared at it with shock,  _ A komainu?  _

         The dog ripped the creature apart and growled at the shadows around it. When it spoke, it didn’t seem to open its mouth and Haruko was surprised by the sound of a woman’s voice within its deep growl, “They are under my protection now. Leave before I rip you all to shreds.”

         The shadows paused before slipping back into the darkness like waves. As they disappeared, their red eyes and open mouths faded last. Haruko was still on the ground, breathing heavily. The Cat spoke from beside her, “That will give us some time but they’ll be back. We must go.” 

         Haruko glanced at The Cat and then studied the lion-dog in awe as it turned to face her. It was huge and its fur billowed around it like fire. It’s hooked teeth glinted as its heavy eyes met hers. She flinched when it began to approach and it froze. Haruko continued to stare at it as it stepped forward again. Eyes steady, Haruko delicately stood up, her knees were sore and bruised from her earlier fall. The lion-dog reached her and bowed. Haruko was sure The Cat would have told her if she needed to be afraid; she nervously reached out her hand and touched the lion-dog’s head. It’s fur was coarse and short. 

         The Cat sighed impatiently before leaping onto the lion-dog’s back. “We can talk on the way.”

         Haruko hesitated, and looked at the lion-dog with apprehension. It lowered its head again as if nodding and Haruko moved to its side. Grabbing around its neck, she pulled herself up onto its back. The fur enveloped her. She could feel the rumble of its voice as it spoke, “You can grab onto my fur-- it won’t hurt me.”

          “Okay,” Haruko answered, clutching the fur in front of her. The Cat moved into her lap and sat cocooned between her arms as the lion-dog began to walk. It seemed to walk at a steady, slow pace, and with each step Haruko realized they were moving further and further from her neighborhood. Suddenly everything was flashing by and Haruko found herself staring forward at the lion-dog’s back to keep from feeling dizzy. 

          The Cat spoke, “Will you be able to stay with us? I don’t know if I will be able to protect her on my own.” 

          The lion-dog answered, “I can. My brother will watch over the shrines while I am away.”

          Haruko’s eyes widened as she realized that this really must one of the komainu who guard the shrines. She asked, “Brother?”

          “Yes, child. My brother and I watch over a shrine together. My name in Kana, but many know me as うん .” 

          “But if you’re a shrine guardian, why are you helping me?”

          “I protect the land around my shrine as well and your blood is attracting evil spirits. This land won’t be safe until your wound has been healed.”

          As she spoke, Kana took one last step before stopping. Haruko looked up and around her, mouth opening in realization.  _ Sankeien Garden? This is where the Healer is?  _ Sankeien Garden was the Japanese garden not too far from her neighborhood. The Cat uncurled himself and lept off Kana’s back. Haruko moved to follow him but gasped loudly as her shoulder pain spiked. She slid off Kana while clutching her shoulder.  _ Could my shoulder have a cut?  _ She could smell blood in the air but she couldn’t tell where it was coming from. 

          They were now beside the lake, which ran through the garden. They began walking away from it to the old, traditional house. Haruko moved slowly, walking with The Cat and Kana on either side of her. The air felt cool and a wind was starting to pick up. They  continued to walk further away from the lake along a gravel path. Haruko felt her heart start to pick up. Kana growled, “The smell of blood is too strong, it’s drawing them in.”

          Haruko’s stomach sank as she could see that Kana was right. From the shadows of the trees and the house before them, the creatures were starting to form and the stench of blood seemed to get heavier. From all around them, the shadows grew and the trees seemed to shake and the clouds covered the sun. From the trees, they leered at her, eyes red and mouths open as if smiling. Haruko felt a chill go down her spine. Beside her, Kana seemed to grow in size and tensed, ready to attack. She yelled, “Run!”

          As the shadows converged on Kana in a frenzy,  Haruko ran back with The Cat beside her. She ran as fast as she could, unsure of where she was going. Then she remembered,  _ The Cat said all water is a portal… go to the lake!  _

          Determinedly, Haruko ran towards the lake as even more creatures began to grow out of the shadows. The Cat was running behind her,  barely ahead of the creatures. He wasn’t moving as fast as he had earlier. Seeing the edge of the water, Haruko threw herself forward towards it. Too late, The Cat cried out, 

          “Haruko stop!”

 

          Haruko’s hand touched the water and she screamed out in pain. She brought her hand back as fast as she could and clutched it to her chest in desperation. It felt as though it had been burned, and her shoulder throbbed. Gingerly, Haruko moved to sit up. The pain consumed her, but she could vaguely sense The Cat behind her  hissing at the shadows creeping forward. Still holding her hand to her chest, Haruko looked up at her reflection and froze. She felt tears stream down her face and she trembled as she stared at the reflection of her shoulder, the shoulder that had been aching for days, and had crescendoed in pain today. She could see that her shoulder had been bitten into -- where there should have been flesh, there was instead, a gaping wound. She could see the severed muscles of her shoulder and the blood  dripping from it. 

          Haruko cried out in anguish, and in that moment she felt as though she had been torn to pieces. 

          Haruko heard a cry from behind her.  She gazed back at her reflection in shock until she heard another cry from above and she looked up. There, in the reflection, she  could see a monstrous creature looming over her. Its eyes were larger than the other shadows; its body less formless, and in its sharp, long teeth was The Cat. Haruko stared at the reflection in horror and in that moment knew that this creature had eaten her shoulder and that before that, it had eaten her shadow. 

          The Cat was struggling to get away but the creature seemed to be tightening its grip each second. In a panic, Haruko turned around, her eyes meeting The Cat’s eyes as she called out its name in panic, 

          “Aki!”

  
  
  


          Haruko stared into Aki’s eyes, and she saw her own eyes. Distantly, she heard a loud cracking sound but she couldn’t break from her trance. Then she heard a whisper from Aki’s eyes.  _ Kill it. It wants to eat our heart. Kill it. _

          As she stared at her own broken and defeated eyes, Haruko felt anger and fear and resentment swell within her like a wave, overflowing into her hand and moving her forward. As fast as she could, Haruko drove her hand into the creature’s chest. It cried out, dropping Aki from its mouth. Black sludge poured around Haruko’s hand and pulled her in. She gritted her teeth, shoulder aching and the blackness encompassing her. Haruko looked up at the fiery eyes glaring down at her, and then down to the collapsed form of Aki. A fiery anger rose in her and she closed her hand around what could only be its heart. With her last bit of strength, Haruko pulled her hand back out from the creature. 

          As its heart left its body, the creature collapsed, spilling like black ink. Haruko dropped onto her knees with exhaustion; the heart clutched in her hand dissolved, too, leaving a black stain across her palm. Haruko rushed to Aki, and as delicately as she could, she moved him onto her lap. Around her she heard growling sounds and she knew Kana must be protecting them from the other creatures. She stayed there for a while, holding Aki to her and catching her breath. 

          “He will be alright.”

          Haruko looked up into the kind face of Kana and asked, “How do you know?”

          “You’re alright, aren’t you?” she answered. 

          Haruko stared at Kana, exhausted and unsure of what to say. Kana spoke again, “I’ve taken care of the them for now, but you are still bleeding and that will only attract more. You must return to your world now.”

          “How? What about Aki?”

          Kana motioned forward with her head, “Through the water. The water burned you before because you were tainted by that spirit. Now that it is dead, the water will not harm you,” Kana explained patiently. 

          Haruko looked at the water with fear. She asked, “Why did it allow me to pass the first time?”

          Kana moved to stand beside Haruko in front of the water and answered, “Before, the creature was living in your shadow. After you passed through the water the first time, it was able to eat your shadow and become part of you. You took a great risking in coming here.”

          Haruko questioned Kana, “Then why did Aki have bring me here?”

          “Perhaps he knew there was no other way;  there was no way for you to purify yourself of this spirit without his help.” Haruko looked down at Aki’s frail body, held within her arms. She could not doubt his intentions. Kana spoke again, “Water is like time. It will ease your pain so that you can see more clearly. Come child, I will walk with you.” 

          Haruko rose slowly, with Aki held carefully in one arm and  her other hand resting against Kana’s side. Her body ached with exhaustion, but her chest felt light.  _ It feels like earlier. Like it did on the bus.  _ Though the pain had eased, Haruko knew her shoulder was still bleeding. Kana began to move forward, and Haruko took a step forward with her into the lake. This time, the water was soothing and cool, and Haruko submerged into it with relief. 

          Haruko opened her eyes to an evening sky, darker than it had been when they left, but clear of clouds. She blinked, realizing she was standing on the water of the pool. Across from her, on the other side of the pool, stood Kana and Aki. They both looked as they had before, as if they had never been wounded, and Haruko wondered faintly if her shoulder had been healed as well. Aki had returned to his statuesque sitting position, tail swaying behind him. Haruko asked, “How did I know your name?”

          Aki scoffed at her, “What person doesn’t know their own name?”

_           So we really are...but how?  _

          Aki answered, “Because we are the same. How else? I said before-- not everything that appears different truly is. Just as you thought, just as in Hokusai’s print, just as you saw in our eyes, You and I, we are the same droplet of water.” 

          Even as she struggled to understand his words, Haruko knew them to be true. Kana rumbled from beside Aki, “Your shoulder will heal with time, as will your shadow. But only if you take care of them.”

          Haruko found herself smiling at Kana as she answered, “I will. Thank you, for everything.” 

          Kana nodded in return and seemed satisfied. She looked at Haruko and said, “I must go back now, I’ve been away for longer I should have. Take care of yourself, Haruko. Go home and rest.” 

          Aki and Haruko answered in unison, “I will.”

With that, Kana stepped forward and disappeared, already miles away. Aki walked across the pool to Haruko and sat before her.  

          “I’m tired,” she confessed.

          “You have been for a long time,” he answered. 

She looked at Aki and smiled. He looked back at her. 

          “Shall we go home?”

Haruko nodded and laughed. They walked off of the pool, through the entrance doors, and onto the path towards home. 

 


End file.
